Lifter for pans



March 25, 1941. K. o. STAMBAUGH LIFTER FOR FANS Filed May 23, 1940 Attorney Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE- 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in lifters of the tong type, and the principal object in View is to provide an inexpensively constructed, efficient and easily manipulated device of this character for expeditiously handling pie tins, cake pans, kettles and the like.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claims appended hereto.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrating the same applied to a pie tin,

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one end of the lifter, and

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, the illustrated embodiment of my improved lifter is formed from a single piece of tinned, basic steel wire, of suitable resiliency, bent upon itself centrally to form a handle I comprising a flat end coil 2 merging into a pair of spaced apart side stretches 3, the coil 2 being of comparatively small diameter and the side stretches 3 being so spaced that the handle formed thereby may be easily grasped by a person having a small hand, and the side stretches easily pressed together.

The described handle I carries a pair of opposed, coplaner arcuate pan-gripping members 4 outwardly bowed to fit against opposite sides, for instance, of a pie tin 5, said handle being arranged to incline upwardly away from said members when the latter are applied to the tin, 5, on a stove, table or the like. Each gripping memher 4 comprises a pair of arcuate, spaced apart, lower and upper stretches 6, 1, the former designed to underlie and support the rim flange 8 of the pie tin 5 and the upper stretch to overlie said flange and thereby prevent the tin 5 from tilting in said members, and each member 4 terminates in an out-turned tip 9 in the form of a square loop, the tips straddling the flange 8 when applied as will be clear.

50 The gripping members 4 are formed by bending the length of Wire from the stretches 3 of handle I to provide the lower stretches 6 of said members, and then bending the wire upon itself to form said tips 9 and the upper stretches 1 of said members 4, the terminals H) of the length of wire being bent to overlie the stretches 3 and jointed thereto by welding, not shown, with a 1 metal band H Welded around said terminals and joint for strengthening the latter and providing a surface for marking the utensils, as for in- 5 stance, with the manufacturers name.

Preferably the side stretches 3 of handle I are bent, as at P2, upwardly to provide shoulders [4 against which the terminals I0 abut so as to reinforce the described joints, against endwise 19 play of the parts.

As will be noted, in my improved lifter, twisting of the wire, for instance, to form joints, and hooks, are eliminated and there are two joints only of smooth character and strong construction. Also by making the device of basic steel instead of higher priced metal, it may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

The manner in which the device is used will be readily understood. Suffice it to explain that the gripping members 4 are properly positioned upon opposite sides of the tin 5, or other pan to be lifted, and the stretches 3 of the handle l pressed together to engage the members with the tin 5, and with the flange 8 of the latter between the stretches 6, I, of said members 4. Upon release of the stretches 3 of handle I, the members 4 will spring apart, thus releasing the tin or pan, as will be apparent.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A lifter of the class described comprising a single piece of resilient wire bent upon itself to form a handle having an outer end coil and a pair of side stretches, and a pair of opposed coplaner gripping members outwardly bowed and extending from said side stretches, respectively, said members each comprising a pair of upper and lower spaced apart stretches and a laterally and outwardly turned tip having the form of a square loop, the stretches and tips of said members being formed by bending the wire upon itself and welding the terminal ends thereof to the 50 side stretches of said handle, respectively, and a pair of metal bands welded around said terminals and said side stretches of the handle to strengthen the same.

2. A lifter of the class described comprising a single piece of resilient wire bent upon itself to form a handle having an outer end coil and a pair of side stretches, and a pair of opposed coplaner gripping members outwardly bowed and extending from said side stretches, respectively, said members each comprising a pair of upper and lower spaced apart stretches, and a laterally and outwardly turned tip having the form of a square loop, the stretches and tips of said mem- 10 bars being formed by bending the wire upon 

